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NZ heartbreak as England force draw

Robert Lowe

The Black Caps have been left with a mix of pride and frustration after getting to within one wicket of a Test series triumph over England.

Set a nominal chase of 481 in the third Test in Auckland, England made it to the safety of stumps on 9-315, with wicketkeeper Matt Prior unbeaten on 110.

Black Caps skipper Brendon McCullum described the result, which meant all three Tests were drawn, as "heartbreak".

But he praised the way his No.8-ranked team, who had lost both their Tests in South Africa in January by an innings, had performed against opponents ranked six places higher.

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"In the end, we were one ball away from winning a Test match," he said.

"We gave it a red-hot crack. Things just didn't go our way and we walk away even."

McCullum said the home side dictated terms from day one of the Eden Park encounter.

But, needing six wickets on the final day, they came up against opponents determined not to lose.

"I'm incredibly proud of the way they performed in this series, confronting one of the giants of world cricket," McCullum said.

"Obviously there's disappointment, but there's some progress as well."

England started Tuesday on 4-90.

Having reached 7-304 and with just fours over to go, they appeared well on the way to achieving their goal.

But a contest of twists and turns was thrown wide open again when part-time spinner Kane Williamson made a double breakthrough, as he had done the previous day.

In three balls, Williamson, who went on to finish with career-best figures of 4-44, removed the resolute Stuart Broad for six and James Anderson for a duck.

Prior and Monty Panesar survived the final 3.1 overs to complete the salvage job.

Prior showed a willingness to play his shots in compiling his seventh Test century, but he also had some anxious moments.

On 16, he was given out lbw to Tim Southee, but called for a review and the replay showed a faint edge.

The most notable was on 28, when a Neil Wagner delivery rebounded from his bat handle to his grill and onto the stumps, but didn't shift the bails.

Prior had excellent support from Broad, who faced 61 balls before getting off the mark.

Broad had spent 102 minutes in the middle before he scored two runs down to third man, beating by one minute New Zealander Geoff Allott's Test record for longest time on nought.

Like Prior, he had a successful review against dismissal, with replays showing an edge after he was given out lbw to a Trent Boult yorker.

The delivery sent him sprawling, the hand of his bat poking him in the throat, and he needed brief treatment before continuing.

Earlier, it was Ian Bell who provided staunch resistance by occupying the crease for almost six hours in scoring 75.

Skipper Alastair Cook said watching England's passage to safety was a nerve-wracking experience.

He paid credit to the efforts of Prior, Bell and Broad, saying England - who won their series in India late last year after batting out a draw in the final Test - had proven themselves a tough side to beat.

"Ideally, you don't want to be in that situation," he said.

"But if you find yourself behind the eight ball, the character we've shown today and in India can only be a good thing."

The two sides meet again in two Tests in England in May, before England embark on back-to-back home-and-away Ashes series.